Spanish Gold/Chapter 21
CHAPTER XXI
"I COULD do with a wash," said Meldon when the party reached the Granuaile.
"You shall have it," said Mr. Willoughby. "You shall have my bath."
"Oh, don't bother about a bath. There's no use running into extremes. I'm a moderate man in every way, politically and otherwise."
"Better have the bath."
"All right, then, I will. But if I do, somebody'll have to go over to the Spindrift and get me another suit of clothes. Father Mulcrone, perhaps you wouldn't mind "
"I'll send a boat," said Mr. Willoughby. "Father Mulcrone wants to dress like the rest of us."
"All right," said Meldon. "I don't care who goes. But I wouldn't like to get into these things again if once I took them off. By the way, have you any sticking-plaster?"
"I think I have a bit in my dressing-case," said Mr. Willoughby.
"I'll want a good bit—yards of it, I expect. I'm not sure till I get my clothes off, but I fancy there are very few parts of me just this minute with the skin on."
"I'll send you what I have. And now, Sir Giles, I must get a dry suit of clothes for you."
In about half an hour the party reassembled for breakfast. Mr. Willoughby made another appeal for an explanation of the morning's events.
"I told you my story," said Meldon, "and Sir Giles contradicted me flat—not that I mind being contradicted. I'm accustomed to it. But I think it's his turn to speak now. Anyway I want to eat my breakfast."
Sir Giles was hot eating heartily, but he seemed unwilling to speak.
"You hinted," said Mr. Willoughby to Sir Giles, "that the account which Mr. Meldon gave us of his actions was—er—perhaps exaggerated."
"'Damned lies' was his expression," said Meldon. "I don't know if that's your idea of a hint that I exaggerated."
"You appeared to think," said Mr. Willoughby, "that Mr. Meldon omitted from his statement some points of interest."
Meldon, whose mouth was full, got into difficulties in suppressing a laugh. Sir Giles stared sulkily at Mr. Willoughby.
"Come, now," said Father Mulcrone, "let's have your story. You'll feel easier when it's off your mind."
"I'm not in your confessional," said Sir Giles, "and I'm damned if I'll speak unless I choose."
"Come, gentlemen," said Mr. Willoughby, "we needn't any of us lose our tempers. I think, Sir Giles, that you are bound either to substantiate or withdraw the very offensive statement that you made on the pier this morning. You called Mr. Meldon a liar."
"So far as I'm concerned," said Meldon, "I don't mind that in the least. I'm quite accustomed to it. There's hardly a man on this island who hasn't called me a liar. I quite recognise that Sir Giles's temper wasn't altogether under control when he spoke. He has a hot temper. I've had to speak to him about it before."
"I suppose that you think it good fun," said Sir Giles, "to sit there bating me and setting that cursed curate on to sling insults at me. But I've stood all I'm going to stand of it. I'll stay here no longer. Come, Langton."
The whole party, with the exception of Meldon, stood up.
"Don't go away like this," said Mr. Willoughby to Sir Giles. "Sit down again and talk things over. I am sure we can come to some understanding if we can only find out what all this trouble is about."
"Make your mind easy," said Meldon, "he can't go just yet."
"Can't go!" said Sir Giles furiously. "Why not? Who's going to stop me? So far as I know, nobody has a warrant out for my arrest."
"You can't go yet," said Meldon, "because you've got on the Chief Secretary's Sunday clothes."
Father Mulcrone burst into a loud laugh.
"That's easily remedied," said Sir Giles. "I'll change."
"Please don't worry about the clothes," said Mr. Willoughby. "You're welcome to them. I wouldn't like you to put on your own things yet. They can't be dry."
"Lend him your pink pyjamas," said Meldon.
For a moment it seemed likely that Sir Giles would make a violent assault on Meldon. His hands twitched. His face was deeply flushed. But he restrained himself and went into the cabin where his own clothes lay.
"This is an extraordinary business," said Mr. Willoughby. "Surely, Mr. Meldon, you'll tell me what it all means."
"He can't go far," said Meldon. "I'm prepared to bet my best hat that there's a hole in the bottom of the Aureole and the Major won't take him in the Spindrift."
"I don't like it at all," said Mr. Willoughby plaintively. "I hate being kept in the dark."
He took Father Mulcrone aside and spoke to him.
"What do you advise?" he said. "What do you think of all this?"
"I think," said the priest, "that you and I had better go ashore with Sir Giles and the other man. I expect the people on the island know the ins and outs of the whole story by this time, and I'll be able to get it from some of them. There's been some rough work during the night. You saw the state Mr. Meldon was in when he came on board. I expect that Sir Giles, whoever he may be, has been up to some mischief. I don't like that man."
"Still, it's an awkward affair. It seems to me that we're aiding and abetting Mr. Meldon in robbery and something like an attempt at murder. He threw Sir Giles into the sea, you know."
"I expect Mr. Meldon's all right. But we can't say anything till we get on shore and hear the whole story."
Mr. Willoughby turned to Meldon.
"Father Mulcrone and I," he said, "have decided to go Dear me, he's fast asleep!"
Meldon had fallen forward. His head lay among the crumbs beside his plate on the breakfast-table. His arms sprawled among the cups and dishes. A half-smoked cigar burned a hole in the tablecloth. Meldon slumbered profoundly.
"He's done up," said Father Mulcrone. "Let the poor fellow have his sleep out."
"We'll make him more comfortable anyhow."
Meldon lay like a log while they lifted him, laid him down, and put a cushion under his head. Sir Giles Buckley and Langton entered the cabin.
"Hush!" said Father Mulcrone, pointing to Meldon. "Don't wake him."
Sir Giles spoke in a tone likely to waken any sleeper.
"Let me have a boat at once. I demand to be put on shore."
"Will you whisht?" said the priest. "Can't you see the man's asleep?"
"I warn you that if you attempt to detain me I shall take an action against you for illegal imprisonment."
"Nobody has the least intention of detaining you," said Mr. Willoughby. "The boat which brought us on board is still alongside."
He led the way on deck, and the four men got into the boat.
"You're not bringing the curate with you, then?" said Sir Giles.
"Mr. Meldon," said the Chief Secretary, "is asleep, as you saw for yourselves."
"It's a good job he doesn't talk in his sleep. He never stops when he's awake."
"He gave you credit for a hot temper," said Father Mulcrone. "I should call it a sulky temper if I was giving my opinion."
Mr. Willoughby interfered as peacemaker. The priest did not like Sir Giles, and was at no pains to conceal his feelings. Without the good offices of Mr. Willoughby Sir Giles might easily have come to dislike Father Mulcrone as heartily as he did Meldon.